David Horseman believes getting one Watford Academy player into the current first team is just as big an achievement as developing four youngsters for the Hornets side prior to the Pozzo takeover.

Horseman officially started work with the Golden Boys last month. He joined the club as lead professional development coach after 22 years at Bristol City.

His primary role is to look after the Hornets’ scholars but he has also taken charge of Watford’s Under-21 side and has a role in assessing the club’s schoolboys before they sign scholarships.

But with the Pozzo’s vast scouting network, and the club’s links with Udinese and Granada, Watford can sign players from across the world.

Does that have a major impact on Watford’s Academy players’ hopes of making it into the first team? Horseman doesn’t believe so.

He explained: “There is always going to be the opportunity for players if they are good enough and that is the challenge for us in the Academy.

“It makes what we do even more fulfilling because if we can get just one player to that standard it is amazing.

“If the first team isn’t as strong and you are getting four or five through then you are just doing your job properly.

“We are just after that one and that makes the Academy worthwhile. We have a couple that we are really hopeful for but they need to work hard to get there.”

Horseman started his playing career with Bristol City and trained with the club’s first team on occasions. However, he wasn’t kept on by the Robins and admits: “I wasn’t really good enough.”

He took up the offer of a part-time coaching role with the club and steadily worked his way up to head of academy coaching before departing for Watford.

Horseman, who continues to live in Bristol, believes the Hornets are a bigger club than City but admits that comes with pressure to improve as a coach.

He said: “Watford have had a ridiculous amount of success with their Academy. They have had 56 players come through (George Byers became the 57th on Saturday) and there were four debuts last season.

“Coming here is a fresh challenge for me. Sometimes you can get a little bit stale and you need that kick.

“I’ve had that kick and I am going to have to raise my coaching standards as well because I am working with better players. All that put together meant Watford was the right opportunity.”

Horseman was in the Vicarage Road dugout as the club’s Under-21 side comprehensively defeated Leeds United 6-1 in the Under-21 Premier League Cup.

The Hornets starting XI included Bernard Mensah and Luke O’Nien, both of whom have experienced loan moves away from Watford this season.

With a lack of Under-21 fixtures, Horseman accepts loan deals are beneficial for the Golden Boys’ young professionals but says every player needs the right move.

He explained: “We have a good group of Under-21s here. The fact the first team is very strong means that maybe they will have to be a little bit more patient.

“But I believe you have two types of players. You have those who need a little bit more tactical and technical work and they probably benefit from an Under-21 league.

“Then there are those players who are tactically and technically good enough who need to go out on loan and win games in the hustle and bustle.

“So it is different for every individual. Having the Under-21s means that when you do have a player coming through you can keep him around the club a little bit longer. That can be very important.”